Grain door and associated mechanism



Jan. 28, 1936. G. GERLIP VGRAIN DOOR AND ASSOCIATED MEOHANISM Filed Aug.l 27,r 1934 Patented Jan. 28, 1936 GRAIN DOOli'il AND ASSOCIATED MECHANESM George Gerlip, Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada Application August 27,

1934, Serial No. 741,692

ln Canada. November 2, 1933 4 Claims.

l and a lower half which may swing out independ- Aso ently one of the other. The door is operable from a lever on the outside of the car and which `when pulled downwardly from the vertical position, actuates two steel panels on either side of the door. The operation of the lever causes these panels to move sideways away from the door thereby permitting the opening of said door.

This and other features of my improved grain door will be explained in fuller detail as the description proceeds.

An object of the invention is to provide a door for box cars which comprises two parts so that the upper section may remain open while the lower one is closed, thus permitting the car to be loaded through the aperture remaining open while the lower part of the door is closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a door having a small aperture adjacent its base which may be opened or closed, thus permitting the grain to emerge through said aperture on operation of a lever.

A further object of the invention is to provide sealing means on both sides of the door and at its base so that grain or other freight composed of small particles cannot escape.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which will stand up under heavy duty.

With the above more important objects in view and minor objects which will appear as the specication proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. l is an elevation of my improved grain door showing a section of the box car.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of my grain door from the inside of the car with the actuating mechanism exposed.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of my door on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Fig, 5 is a detail showing the housing covering the actuating mechanism of the slidable panels.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the aperture and sliding covering therefor through which small quantities of grain may be released.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several gures.

My invention consists of inner and outer cover plates I and I composed of sheet steel. The inner plates are bracketed flush to the inner surface of the sides of the box car 2 and the outer-5V plates are bracketed flush with the outer surface of the side of the box car. The width of the aperture formed by the distance from each other of the plates on either side of the door will approximately equal the width of the door. Eachlo pair of plates I and I are held apart by means of distance pieces 3 which are constructed in the manner shown for the purpose of preventing the plates from being battered in towards each other ,A which would in this way place the internal mech- "-15 anism out oi' commission.

Within each pair of plates is a steel panel 4 and a door made in two sections 5 and S is provided and hinged to a shaft 'I provided with a roller 8 turnably mounted similar to a chair 20 castor on the end of the shaft. The panels 4 are slidable within the plates I and I to and fro upon movement of a lever 9. This lever is pivoted to those plates I and I which are adjacent the hinged side of the door and a bolt ex- 25 tends through the plates and is rigidly connected to one corner of a triangular member I0.

The upper corner of this member is linked to a short lever arm II, the opposite end of which is in turn linked to a flat steel bar I2 extending 30 substantially the length of the housing I and I. The upper and lower ends of the steel bar I2 are linked to members i3 which are freely pivoted each by means of a bolt through each of the two pairs of plates I and I Links I4 con- 35 nect the steel panels with the members I3. A curved shaft I5 is pivoted to the remaining oorner of the triangular member IU and passes beneath the Hoor of the box car in the same plane as the other parts of this mechanism to the jamb 40 of the door where it is freely connected to a central pivoted lever I5. The opposite end of this lever is connected to a second lever II, one end of which is connected to a flat steel bar I8 similar to the bar l2. This bar is connected to the member l on that side of the door in a manner exactly similar to that of the bar I 2.

From the foregoing description of the mechanism housed within the plates I and I', it will be clearly seen that on pulling the lever 9 down- 50 wardly away from the door, the panels 4 will each slide back between its pair of plates I and I since the members ID and I6 will turn forcing the steel bars I2 and I8 downwardly which will in turn, draw the panels into the housing.

It will, therefore, be seen that the panel opposite the hinged side of the door will perform the dual function of sealing the slit between the door and the jamb and also locking the door while the panel adjacent the hinge merely serves as a means for'sealing the slit on the opposite side of the door. I

It will also be noted when the lever 9 is pulled downwardly that the shaft l5 moves slightly upwards, thus bearing against the castor 8 on the end of the shaft 1. This has the effect of moving the doors 5 and B a fraction of an inch oi the iioor of the car enabling them to swing outwardly freely since the door is rigidly bracketed to the shaft 1.

The upper section of the door can also be swung inwardly against the inside wall of the boX car so that the car `could be filled up to a level ush with the top of the door 5 after which the section 6 of the door can be closed and the car lled with grain from the roof.

lslidable upwardly and downwardly within guideways not shown. A vertical slot 2 l' is provided in the door located centrally above the aperture I9.- A lever arm 22 is pivoted to the door and one end is linked to a second lever 23 whose opposite end is provided with a bolt 24 fastened to the cover 20. This bolt slides upon actuation of the lever 22 freely up and down within the groove 2l so that when the lever 23 is actuated, the cover 20 slides upwardly thus releasing grain or similar substance through the aperture I9.

I wish it understood that I do not desire to be restricted to the actual structure described in the accompanying drawing, this being intended as illustrative only and not to be regarded in a limiting sense and I desire only such restrictions upon cludes means for lifting said door simultaneously with the sliding of said panels.

3. Improvements in grain doors for box cars and associated mechanism for sealing and unsealing the same comprisingga door swingable upon a vertical shaft, a steel housing on either side of said door concealing said mechanism, sealing panels pivotally connected to said mechanism to slide upon operation of a lever synchronously towards and away from each other to and from the interior of the housing, and a shaft extending between either housing to operate the mechanism therein and to elevate said doors.

4. Improvements in grain doors for box cars and associated mechanism for sealing and unsealing same comprising a grain door hingedly mounted upon a vertical shaft, a steel housing on either side of said grain door, slidable door sealing panels pivotally mounted within said housing, lever means on the exterior of said housing to slide said panels inwardly or outwardly with respect to said housing to seal or unseal said door, and a shaft extending between either housing operable upon actuation of said leverV to raise or lower said door upon a friction reducing wheel at the base of said vertical shaft.

GEORGE GERLIP; 

